Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors
Heifer International



Home > Press > Vertical electrochemical transistor pushes wearable electronics forward: Biomedical sensing is one application of efficient, low-cost transistors

The vertical electrochemical transistor is based on a new kind of electronic polymer and a vertical, instead of planar, architecture.

CREDIT
Northwestern University
The vertical electrochemical transistor is based on a new kind of electronic polymer and a vertical, instead of planar, architecture. CREDIT Northwestern University

Abstract:
A transdisciplinary Northwestern University research team has developed a revolutionary transistor that is expected be ideal for lightweight, flexible, high-performance bioelectronics.

Vertical electrochemical transistor pushes wearable electronics forward: Biomedical sensing is one application of efficient, low-cost transistors

Evanston, IL | Posted on January 20th, 2023

The electrochemical transistor is compatible with blood and water and can amplify important signals, making it especially useful for biomedical sensing. Such a transistor could enable wearable devices for onsite signal processing, right at the biology-device interface. Potential applications include measuring heartbeat and levels of sodium and potassium in blood as well as eye motion for studying sleep disorders.

“All modern electronics use transistors, which rapidly turn current on and off,” said Tobin J. Marks, a co-corresponding author of the study. “Here we use chemistry to enhance the switching. Our electrochemical transistor takes performance to a totally new level. You have all the properties of a conventional transistor but far higher transconductance (a measure of the amplification it can deliver), ultra-stable cycling of the switching properties, a small footprint that can enable high density integration, and easy, low-cost fabrication.”

Marks is a world leader in the fields of materials science and organic electronics. He is the Vladimir N. Ipatieff Professor of Catalytic Chemistry in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and professor of materials science and engineering and chemical and biological engineering in the McCormick School of Engineering.

The vertical electrochemical transistor is based on a new kind of electronic polymer and a vertical, instead of planar, architecture. It conducts both electricity and ions and is stable in air. The design and synthesis of new materials and the transistor’s fabrication and characterization required the collaborative expertise of chemists, materials scientists and biomedical engineers.

Marks led the research team along with Antonio Facchetti, research professor of chemistry at Weinberg; Wei Huang, now a professor at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China; and Jonathan Rivnay, professor of biomedical engineering at the McCormick School.

“This exciting new type of transistor allows us to speak the language of both biological systems, which often communicate via ionic signaling, and electronic systems, which communicate with electrons,” Rivnay said. “The ability of the transistors to work very efficiently as ‘mixed conductors’ makes them attractive for bioelectronic diagnostics and therapies.”

This study detailing the efficient electrochemical transistor and an accompanying News & Views article were published this week by the journal Nature.

“With their vertical architecture, our electrochemical transistors can be stacked one on top of another,” Facchetti said. “Thus, we can make very dense electrochemical complementary circuits, which is impossible for the conventional planar electrochemical transistors.”

To make more reliable and powerful electronic circuits, two types of transistors are needed: p-type transistors that carry positive charges and n-type transistors that carry negative charges. These types of circuits are called complementary circuits. The challenge researchers have faced in the past is that n-type transistors are difficult to build and are typically unstable.

This is the first work to demonstrate electrochemical transistors with similar and very high performance for both types (p+n) electrochemical transistors. This resulted in the fabrication of very efficient electrochemical complementary circuits.

####

For more information, please click here

Contacts:
Media Contact

Megan Fellman
Northwestern University

Office: 847-491-3115
Expert Contacts

Tobin Marks
Northwestern University

Jonathan Rivnay
Northwestern University

Antonio Facchetti
Northwestern University

Copyright © Northwestern University

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related Links

ARTICLE TITLE

Related News Press

News and information

Developing nanoprobes to detect neurotransmitters in the brain: Researchers synthesize fluorescent molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles to sense small neurotransmitter molecules and understand how they govern brain activity March 3rd, 2023

Scientists push the boundaries of manipulating light at the submicroscopic level March 3rd, 2023

TUS researchers propose a simple, inexpensive approach to fabricating carbon nanotube wiring on plastic films: The proposed method produces wiring suitable for developing all-carbon devices, including flexible sensors and energy conversion and storage devices March 3rd, 2023

Lipid nanoparticles highly effective in gene therapy March 3rd, 2023

Wearable electronics

Tin selenide nanosheets enables to develop wearable tracking devices December 9th, 2022

Underwater movement sensor alerts when a swimmer might be drowning October 7th, 2022

Disposable electronics on a simple sheet of paper October 7th, 2022

Engineers fabricate a chip-free, wireless electronic “skin”: The device senses and wirelessly transmits signals related to pulse, sweat, and ultraviolet exposure, without bulky chips or batteries August 19th, 2022

Govt.-Legislation/Regulation/Funding/Policy

Stanford researchers develop a new way to identify bacteria in fluids: An innovative adaptation of the technology in an old inkjet printer plus AI-assisted imaging leads to a faster, cheaper way to spot bacteria in blood, wastewater, and more March 3rd, 2023

Novel microscope developed to design better high-performance batteries: Innovation gives researchers inside view of how batteries work February 10th, 2023

Scientists boost quantum signals while reducing noise: “Squeezing” noise over a broad frequency bandwidth in a quantum system could lead to faster and more accurate quantum measurements February 10th, 2023

Progress toward fast-charging lithium-metal batteries: By growing uniform lithium crystals on a surprising surface, UC San Diego engineers open a new door to fast-charging lithium-metal batteries February 10th, 2023

Possible Futures

Developing nanoprobes to detect neurotransmitters in the brain: Researchers synthesize fluorescent molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles to sense small neurotransmitter molecules and understand how they govern brain activity March 3rd, 2023

Scientists develop self-tunable electro-mechano responsive elastomers March 3rd, 2023

Recent progress of carbon-based non-noble metal single-atom catalysts for energy conversion electrocatalysis March 3rd, 2023

Destroying the superconductivity in a kagome metal: Electronic control of quantum transitions in candidate material for future low-energy electronics March 3rd, 2023

Chip Technology

Scientists develop self-tunable electro-mechano responsive elastomers March 3rd, 2023

Destroying the superconductivity in a kagome metal: Electronic control of quantum transitions in candidate material for future low-energy electronics March 3rd, 2023

Researchers develop innovative tool for measuring electron dynamics in semiconductors: Insights may lead to more energy-efficient chips and electronic devices March 3rd, 2023

New study opens the door to ultrafast 2D devices that use nonequilibrium exciton superdiffusion February 10th, 2023

Announcements

Recent progress of carbon-based non-noble metal single-atom catalysts for energy conversion electrocatalysis March 3rd, 2023

Destroying the superconductivity in a kagome metal: Electronic control of quantum transitions in candidate material for future low-energy electronics March 3rd, 2023

Stanford researchers develop a new way to identify bacteria in fluids: An innovative adaptation of the technology in an old inkjet printer plus AI-assisted imaging leads to a faster, cheaper way to spot bacteria in blood, wastewater, and more March 3rd, 2023

Getting drugs across the blood-brain barrier using nanoparticles March 3rd, 2023

Interviews/Book Reviews/Essays/Reports/Podcasts/Journals/White papers/Posters

Recent progress of carbon-based non-noble metal single-atom catalysts for energy conversion electrocatalysis March 3rd, 2023

Destroying the superconductivity in a kagome metal: Electronic control of quantum transitions in candidate material for future low-energy electronics March 3rd, 2023

Stanford researchers develop a new way to identify bacteria in fluids: An innovative adaptation of the technology in an old inkjet printer plus AI-assisted imaging leads to a faster, cheaper way to spot bacteria in blood, wastewater, and more March 3rd, 2023

Getting drugs across the blood-brain barrier using nanoparticles March 3rd, 2023

Military

Scientists boost quantum signals while reducing noise: “Squeezing” noise over a broad frequency bandwidth in a quantum system could lead to faster and more accurate quantum measurements February 10th, 2023

Make them thin enough, and antiferroelectric materials become ferroelectric February 10th, 2023

New quantum computing architecture could be used to connect large-scale devices: Researchers have demonstrated directional photon emission, the first step toward extensible quantum interconnects January 6th, 2023

Computational system streamlines the design of fluidic devices: This computational tool can generate an optimal design for a complex fluidic device such as a combustion engine or a hydraulic pump December 9th, 2022

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE




  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More











ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project